Music and lighting are the two most important factors in determining the ambiance of a bar or restaurant. The problem is that those things are often an afterthought and aren’t discussed or managed as well as they should be. How many times have you been in a bar where the music was blasting so loud that you could barely hear the person next to you? Now sometimes that music fits the bill. If it’s Friday night and the bar is wall to wall with intoxicated revelers it might make sense to blast the music, but not at happy hour on a Tuesday, yet many establishments do just that.
There are several factors to consider when it comes to music. It may be the neighborhood demographic, location, or concept. One also has to consider different crowds depending on the time of day and the overall vibe. Finding what works best when it comes to music and lighting might be achieved by trial and error—a costly and time consuming process. Or an owner may have a clear idea of the atmosphere they are trying to achieve and what part the music plays. However you decide on the music at your bar or restaurant will be determined by a number of factors, but once you find what works, consistency is the key.
If you have this in your bar I hope you play 90's hip hop.
Understand and Embrace Your Concept
Let’s say you own a Tiki bar. Chances are you are going to want to play Polynesian music, or something like it. Maybe reggae would work, or something else with a tropical sound, but the music definitely has to convey a vibe that matches the aesthetic of the concept. Same thing if you run a metal bar, or a mezcal bar, or anything with a strict theme. Think about how weird it would be to walk into a country western bar if they were playing punk rock. I know it would make me uncomfortable. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule. If you run a mezcal bar near a college campus, you might have better luck playing top 40 than Banda. Or, if you run a bar that specializes in scotch whisky, you might not play traditional Scottish music, but you would try and think about what scotch drinkers would appreciate.
I ran a bar in San Francisco that was heavily focused on Italian amaro but our main crowd was the after work, FiDi, hip, happy hour crowd. As you can guess, we didn’t play classic Italian music, but leaned heavily toward down tempo, jazz, classic soul and R&B. Our crowd wanted music that was familiar, but different; something that could provide a structured, playful background without being intrusive. We knew our guests were there to socialize and relax after a hard day’s work so the music was kept at a gently audible volume.
Location, Location, Location
If your bar is in the Texas backcountry you might have luck with country western music, or if you are in the Los Angeles suburbs your crowd might be more inclined to enjoy 90’s pop music. If you are across the street from a symphony house your guests might be into some classical music while they wait for a show. These are not hard and fast rules though. Sometimes it pays to go against the grain. For example, if I am in the Texas backcountry and 3 of the last 4 bars were playing country western, the spot I walk in to that is playing Jazz would definitely attract a certain kind of guest and possibly tap into a segment of the market that was just waiting to be noticed.
Chances Are You Have a Type
Demographics may be the most important factor in determining the music for your establishment. Think about the kind of people your regulars are. What is their average income, age range, interests? Spend some time and think about these things. People congregate where they feel comfortable. Listening to music is a pleasurable experience for most people and also deeply personal. Music is highly subjective, but in a bar or restaurant it’s unlikely that your guests are doing any critical listening. Music in this role is to provide a backdrop to the overall experience. Chances are the guests that enjoy spending time at your establishment have commonalities. Think about what it is about your business that attracts people and how they want to feel when they are there.
The Freaks Come Out at Night
It’s not uncommon for a bar to have several distinctly different crowds in the space of a day. Pay attention to this. It might look something like this: from noon until 3 or so you get your regular retired alcoholics, then around 3:30 the after work happy hour crowd starts to roll in, by 8:30 the single revelers show up to close down the bar. It’s important to adjust the music to fit the crowd and the vibe. This is something you can feel if you try. Just look at the room and watch people’s body language. If they look relaxed and smiling, you know you are doing something right. If they look uncomfortable, try changing the track or the genre, you would be surprised how much of an effect it can have. Sometimes hunting down the right music makes me feel a little like a puppet master with how easily I can influence the mood of an entire room. Think about that scene in High Fidelity when the sales guys change the music to influence what records get bought. This is a slippery slope though because if you switch up the genre every song, or mess with the volume too much people will start to leave and chances are they won’t even know why.
Don't Turn It up to 11
If there is a common thread here it’s pay attention to your guests and their body language. If your establishment attracts a lot of people on dates you want to make sure the music is just loud enough to be heard but not demand attention. On the other hand, if you are downtown in a college town, then by all means crank that shit. Just be aware of the mood and adjust accordingly.
Something that can be annoying is when songs are mastered at different levels. It can be shocking to have a song start at twice the volume of the previous track leaving you running to turn down the volume as everyone at the bar looks suddenly uncomfortable and some shoot a little side eye. There are settings within a lot of the more popular music streaming services that can mediate this so it’s good to try and find it and turn it on. As business ebbs and swells throughout the day it’s important to adjust the volume as the ambient noise increases and decreases. I am guilty of forgetting to do this. Usually it’s easier to remember to turn it down rather than up because you notice it. As your bar gets busy it’s easy to lose the music in the chaos and it can get drowned out. Be vigilant; use it as a tool and volume can dictate the vibe of your bar.
Maintain a Common Theme
Some bars let the staff play whatever they want, or worse yet, have a jukebox. It takes a really special kind of bar to successfully incorporate a jukebox. Usually these days I only see jukeboxes in dive bars where people are there to drink and they are serious about it. People like to know what to expect when they come back to an establishment. This can be seen by the many reviews on Yelp and other popular websites that mention “how much they loved the music.” I’m not saying put on the same playlist every day (although I have worked places that did this) but there are companies that will curate a playlist for your bar or restaurant. They can customize it for you and change it up enough so that it doesn’t get too repetitive. Personally Sonos has been nothing but a glitchy headache so steer clear. Alternatively you can have a music streamer with pre-loaded music all approved and let the staff choose. Just keep within a concept that conveys your vibe.
Trust Your Gut
Whether it’s a party at your home, a nightclub in Miami, or your bar, the music you choose to play makes an impact on the guest experience. It’s a long strand in the complex web that defines your atmosphere. Watch your guests; see how they react, constantly adjusting the volume or changing the genre as necessary until you get it right. Ask yourself, does the music fit my concept? Will it bring in more guests or drive them away? But most importantly, how does it make you feel. When you get it right you will know.
If you have a playlist you want to share, or have anything else to say, leave a comment below.
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I’ve been to Minneapolis twice. Both times for Soundset. Both times I was constantly asking, what is that I’m hearing. This list is a curated list of what I heard in my 6 nights of bar hopping/night clubbing Minneapolis as well as music heard on the street (there’s speakers everywhere) and even restaurants.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/09svhhx9LqQ5l5ryNcsZ9z?si=MKkK8qRSQIibKTi5IRkU4Q